Fraternity-Testvériség, 1956 (34. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1956-04-01 / 4-5. szám
FRATERNITY 37 THE PLAN THAT CAME TO NAUGHT By Sándor Petőfi* The livelong hours — homeward bound — This was my only thought: How shall I greet my mother dear, So long unseen, unsought? What shall I say at first to her, Of love, of tenderness, When arms that rocked my cradle stretch To clasp me to her breast? One after one, unnumbered thoughts, Each fairer than the last . . . It seemed that time was standing still, Though wagon wheels ran fast. I burst into her little room . . . My mother flew to me . . . And wordless ... to her lips I clung Like fruit upon a tree. 1844 Translated by E. B. Pierce and E. Delmár * Sándor Petőfi was born on January 1, 1823, in Kiskörős, a typical community of the Alföld, the Hungarian plains. His father was an innkeeper. Petőfi became acquainted very soon with solitariness, poverty, misunderstanding, compassion, love and hatred. His prestige was established and his economic status somewhat improved when he was introduced to the Hungarian public by Michael Vörösmarty, the great poet and critic. His best friend was János Arany, the noted poet of ballads and the famous Toldi trilogy. He was one of the most talented leaders of the revolutionary young Hungarian generation. In 1848 Petőfi plunged headlong into the stream of political activities. In 1849, in the Hungarian war of freedom, he disappeared during the battle near Segesvár as an aide-de-camp of General Bern, fighting Russians whose Tzar supported the autocratic Habsburg dynasty against Hungary. His extraordinary productivity is due to his spontanity and unique poetical ability. His works filled a thick volume, which one might consider the most worthy heritage of the Hungarian literature.
